Rigid ballistic armor plates, also known as rifle plates, are cloth covered plates of ballistic material, such as hardened steel, ceramic composites, or thermally formed and bonded layered ballistic fabric. Armor plates are used as inserts in specialized garments, called plate carriers, that suspend and position the plate on the wearer's body. Plate carriers are well known in the military and law enforcement communities. Heretofore, plate carriers have used internal pockets or pouches to support the ballistic plates. The use of pockets and pouches simply to support the weight and bulk of the ballistic plates within the carrier adds significant bulk and weight to the wearer. Due to the equipment loads carried, reducing the weight of the plates and the plate carriers is always beneficial to military and law enforcement personal.
The present invention provides for body armor plates having an integral hook and loop covering that allows the plates to directly affix to a mating garment fabric. Replacing the conventional cloth outer covering of a ballistic plate with an integrated hook and loop fastener material allows the armor plates to be directly attached to any corresponding hook and loop fastener material on the supporting plate carrier apparatus, thereby eliminating the need for enclosed internal pouches or pockets and greatly reduces overall weight and bulk of the armor plate carrier system. Integrating hook and loop fastener materials into the covering of armor plates also allows the armor plates to be suspended for a wearer with only shoulder straps, harnesses and cummerbunds having corresponding hook and look fastener materials.
The above described features and advantages, as well as others, will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.